Today’s Daily Bread ~ The Boogyman

Jeremiah 29:13-14 –“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  I will be found by you,” says the LORD.  “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.  I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

My children are 4 and 3 years old.  Monsters have suddenly become big in their world.  During the day, they’re not really a threat.  According to the doctrine of the boogy man and his scary men, they can’t come out in the daylight.  But once the sun goes down, it’s quite the different story indeed.

At least twice a week I’ll be nodding off to sleep when I hear the pitter-pattering of little feet down the hall.  “Mommy,” a little voice whispers, “Mommy!  There’s a monster in my room!”  Sometimes the monster hides in the closet, sometimes it’s under the bed.  Either way…only mommy or daddy has the power to scare the devious thing away.

I understood that the job of parent included monster detail when I signed up, so off we go down the hall with a flashlight.  “See sweetheart?  No monster here.  Monsters can’t get in.  I made sure to completely de-monsterize the house before we ever moved in.”  And the frightened child is satisfied.

We smile and nod when we hear stories like this.  Every parent relates.  “Ah yes, back when our only fears were imaginary boogy-men.  Those were the days.”  Because our fears are so much more real now, aren’t they?  Or are they?

I have spent entire weekends agonizing about something I fear will happen Monday at work.  And then it doesn’t come to pass.  Or if it does, God gives me the strength to handle it, and it’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  How about those of us who can never relax when our children are out of the house and out from under our watchful and sometimes overprotective eyes?  Or spending months fearing a layoff that never comes?  Or watching the news and agonizing over the stock market and what it’s doing to our retirement funds?

When we worry and stress about things that are absolutely out of our control, you know what we’re doing?  On a spiritual level, we’re lying in bed with the covers pulled up over our heads; eyes squeezed tightly shut, being careful not to make a sound.  Look at God’s own words in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I alone know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD.  “They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Are we going to believe God?  Or are we going to let the enemy terrorize us with things that may never happen, and rob us of joy and blessings in the process?

Let’s learn from my children.  When they’re afraid of something, they run to me and ask me to shine a light on it.  We need to do the same thing with our Lord, my sweet friends.  When scary thoughts creep in, run to your Heavenly Father.  He is waiting to shine the light of His truth into the darkest recesses of your mind.  What is the truth?  He has plans for us.  Plans for good, not plans for disaster.  Plans for a future and a hope.  Those words are not a guarantee that we’ll never face difficulties.  On the contrary, Scripture promises us that we will.  But God also promises that we’ll never face them alone.  My children aren’t afraid if mommy or daddy is with them.  They instinctively know that monsters don’t stand a chance near the awesome power of the parent.  How much more then, should we not be afraid, knowing that we are never without the awesome power of the Holy Spirit?

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to lay every fear and concern we have at the foot of the cross.  We ask You to shine the light of Your truth on us, and the truth is this: You are in control.  Nothing happens without Your knowledge.  Nothing catches You off guard.  We struggle with fear of the unknown, but to You, all things are known.  Grant us peace, Lord, and help us to rest in the shadow of Your wings.  You are the light of the world, and darkness cannot exist where You are.  Help us to abide in You, Lord.  We love You so much, and we ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.